Why did Carlos Alcaraz withdraw from the 2026 Wimbledon tennis tournament?

Carlos Alcaraz (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni) NEW DELHI: Carlos Alcaraz will miss this year’s Wimbledon after failing to fully recover from a wrist injury, ending hopes of another title at the All England Club. The Spanish star has confirmed he is also pulling out of Queen’s as he continues his rehabilitation from an injury sustained during the Barcelona Open last month.“My recovery is going well and I’m feeling a lot better, but unfortunately I’m still not ready to play, I have to withdraw from both Queen’s and Wimbledon,” Alcaraz said.The 23-year-old added: “These are two really special tournaments for me and I will miss them a lot. We will keep working to get back as soon as possible.”Alcaraz has not played since April after also pulling out of the Madrid, Rome and Roland Garros tournaments. The world number two enjoyed another strong season, winning the Australian Open this year and completing a career Grand Slam at a young age. He also won the title in Doha and before the injury setback, built a 22-3 record this season.Alcaraz already indicated last month that he would not rush his return. “I’d rather come back maybe a little later but in great shape than come back too quickly and risk making this injury worse,” he explained.“I have a long career ahead of me, so I’m not afraid to miss what I have to miss to get the best recovery possible.”Alcaraz’s absence is a big boost for Jannik Sinner, who is now considered the favorite for both the French Open and Wimbledon titles. The growing rivalry between the two young stars has become one of tennis’ biggest attractions.“It’s sad news for all of us, me as a competitor you want to play against the best players in the world and he’s definitely the best player on this surface,” Sinner said after hearing the news.